The invention concerns an initiator for a contactless switch. This type of device, which is known in the art, comprises a support section and an adjacent control section, with the latter having a sensor surface and being free to move into several positions with respect to the front side of the support section. In one position, the sensor surface is turned away from the support section and in other positions it is parallel to the lateral surfaces of the support section. A fastening element, designed as a three-sided prism, is mounted in a recess between the control section and the support section. The fastening element is mounted on the front side of the support section so that it can rotate about a first, longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to this front side. The control section is mounted with respect to the fastening element in such a manner that it can be rotated about a second axis that forms an acute angle with the first axis.
An initiator of this kind is described in the German Auslegeschrift No. 29 09 048. In this device at least the control section is attached to the fastening element by a screw oriented along the second axis, which is at an angle of 45.degree. with respect to the first axis. This screw is mated with threads in the control section that define an axis at an angle to the sensor surface.